Improvement of Medical Terminology Education With Interactive Learning Module

Early in their first year, medical students at USD Sanford School of Medicine (SSOM) must pass a short-course in medical terminology. Taught using simple PowerPoint presentation, learning has been very dependent on rote memorization. In reviewing the literature, a study examining the effects of teaching medical terminology using mnemonics and imagery showed higher test scores with increasing exposure to this experimental learning method. Another study looked at the effects on learning with the use of an online interactive multimedia learning module to teach students about a common medical condition and showed increased test scores in the students using this experimental module. The focus of this project was to improve the quality of study materials for the Medical Terminology course at SSOM by using these experimental learning methods. The hypothesis was that using enhanced learning modules, including the addition of pictures, images, mnemonics, word association tools, practice questions, and video lectures would facilitate learning and improve test scores and retention of the material compared to depending mainly on rote memorization.

Learning modules were created, including modified PowerPoint slides with pictures/images, mnemonics, word associations, practice questions, and recorded video lectures. In this study, students self-selected a learning technique. The experimental group of students used the modified PowerPoint slides and/or video lectures to aid in their studies for the Medical Terminology exam. The control group of students did not use these resources, and instead used the PowerPoint presentations normally given out to students as per the curriculum. One month after students took the Medical Terminology final exam, they took a retention exam which contained 20 questions from the final exam. The scores for each question were tabulated and compared to the original score. A survey was also sent out via email to SSOM classes of 2023 and 2024 to assess their perceptions regarding the experimental modified PowerPoint slides and video lectures.

The group using the experimental learning method had average score decrease of 12.1 percent (SD=0.9 percent) on retention exam, compared to control group average decrease of 16.2 percent (SD=12.3 percent). 42 survey responses was collected. Survey responses showed n=21 from the class of 2023 and n=21 from the class of 2024. 38.1 percent of students reported using both the modified PowerPoints + lectures recorded on Panopto, and 23.81 percent of students reported using only the modified PowerPoints. 97.62 percent of students agreed Pictures/Images help learning, 90.48 percent agreed mnemonics help learning, and 100 percent agreed practice questions help learning. Notably, 16.7 percent of respondents agreed that large blocks of descriptive text help learning.

No statistically significant differences were found between the two student groups on retention exam. However, over 90 percent of students agreed that the addition of modified materials helped learn medical terminology terms, and that the modified learning materials adequately prepared them for the final exam. These results support the inclusion of enhanced learning tools for medical terminology education, including images of disease processes, mnemonics, and practice questions. Limitations include student self-selection of study method, small sample size of students taking the retention exam, and response bias with survey dissemination.